Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pramod Mahajan has developed an acute respiratory problem, leading to increase in ventilatory support on Monday, even as his condition remains 'very critical'.

"Mahajan's condition has been very critical for the last nine days. He has developed Accute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and, therefore, ventilatory support has gone up on Monday," Gustad Daver, director (professional services), Hinduja Hospital, said. Daver also heads the team of doctors treating Mahajan.

Mahajan's condition is 'very serious and we are closely monitoring him on hourly basis', Daver said, adding that the medication to maintain blood pressure, besides the renal replacement therapy, continue.

On the possibility of removing the bullets from Mahajan's body, Daver said they were lodged in such a way that these were not of immediate concern. "Our concern now is to stabilise his condition and control the infection," he said.

Asked about the condition of pancreas, Daver said, "We will not be doing anything with the pancreas as the organ is badly damaged. We will only be drying out the fluid. Both duodenum and pancreas are badly damaged."

The doctor said, "The first injury, after he received the bullet, was very bad and the most important success, which we could achieve, was to stop the bleeding especially from liver and inferior venacava."

"Within eight minutes of the severely injured Mahajan's arrival at the hospital on April 22, we took him to the operation theatre. Time was very crucial as he was profusely bleeding," Daver said.

Mahajan, shot at and critically injured by his younger brother Pravin on April 22, on Saturday underwent surgical procedures to clean abdominal cavity for preventing infection and jejunostomy (for artificial internal feeding) and tracheotomy (for proper ventilatory support).

Complete coverage: Pramod Mahajan shot